Title says it all-
I have now played all the 2017 Gibson SGs&Les Pauls at length now and have decided on my choice for best of 2017.
For Les Pauls & SGs , 2017 is a pretty good year over all. Gibson has now secured its intent on offering 2 lines of guitar Traditional and HP repectively. This is a good thing and its scheme is a good one I believe....Something for everyone.
The overall bad for Gibson is that quality control is flat out ansent now. I played LP Standard HPs (thats plural) that had blemishes, and it seemed all models i played had minor detail issues. I even played a classic that the rosewood fretboard was not place flush with the mahogany neck. It was not even and really a bad job...the HP line using "chrome" knobs, tuners, and pickup rings....looks cheap....like a guitar that belongs in the movie Logans Run..
OK, the good is that Gibson is still producing an instrument that soundwise has no equal. My choice is based on Sound, Fit, Feel, Cost, and Look. The runner up is the Les Paul Classic...Fantastic guitar, but aesthetically and weight wise it had issues to me. The winner this year by a mile is the Les Paul Tribute. I played 8 (I bought 1) and every o e of them was consistant in all categories and the price is incredible!!! The finish was perfect. The build supurb.....even the frets without binding was comfortable. Neck-great. Sound is fantastic...it just hits a homerun!!! Just my opinion, but if you are on the fence-GET ONE!!!